Rethinking Securities in an Emergent Technoscientific New World Order : Retracing the Contours for Africa's Hi-jacked Futures

The emergent technoscientific New World Order is being legitimised through discourses on openness and inclusivity. The paradox is that openness implies vulnerability and insecurities, particularly where closure would offer shelter. While some actors, including NGOs, preach openness of African societies, Africans clamour for protection, restitution and restoration. Africans struggle for ownership and access to housing, for national, cultural, religious, economic, and social belonging that would offer them the necessary security and protection, including protection from the global vicissitudes and matrices of power. In the presence of these struggles, to presuppose openness would be to celebrate vulnerability and insecurities. This book examines ways in which emergent technologies expose Africans and, more generally, peoples of the global south to political, economic, social, cultural and religious shocks occasioned by the coloniality of the global matrices of power. It notes that there is the use – by global elites – of technologies to incite postmodern revolutions designed to compound the vicissitudes and imponderables in the already unsettled lives of people north and south. Particularly targeted by these technologies are African and other governments that do not cooperate in the fulfilment of the interests of the hegemonic global elites. The book is handy to students and practitioners in security studies, African studies, development studies, global studies, policy studies, and political science. Cover 1 Title page 2 Copyright page 3 List of Contributors 4 Contents 12 Chapter 1 - The Development of (Neo-)Imperial Sacrifice, Global Atavism and African Insecurities: An Introduction 16 Introduction 16 Cannibalism, Sacrifice and Insecurities within (Neo-)Imperial Logics and Praxis 19 Chapter Outlines 46 References 52 Chapter 2 - “Ethnicity”, “Nomadic” Identities and (In-)Securities in Africa: The Case of the Tsonga Speaking People in South Africa 64 Introduction 64 “Ethnicities”, “Tribes” and Insecurities 67 The Tsonga Speaking Groups in South Africa 76 Apartheid and the Formation of the Gazankulu Homeland 77 The Tsonga, Kingship and the Post-Apartheid Nhlapo Commission of Inquiry 82 Internet Blogs and the Tsonga/Shangaan Dichotomy 83 Tsonga Consciousness and Boundaries 84 Conclusion 85 References 86 Chapter 3 - Disabilities and Human Insecurities: Women and Oculocutaneous Albinism in Post-Colonial Zimbabwe 92 Introduction 92 Insecurities experienced by the generality of people living with oculocutaneous albinism 97 Age-old myths and patriarchal chauvinism as sources of insecurity for women living with albinism in Zimbabwe 103 Contemporary myths and the vulnerability of women living with albinism 105 Victimisation of non-albino women for giving birth to children with albinism 111 The pursuit of security by albino women in post-colonial Zimbabwe 114 Conclusion 118 References 120 Chapter 4 - A Religious Survey of Technological Oddity: Humanoid as a Case Study 126 Introduction 126 Meaning of Humanoids 128 Historical Antecedent of Humanoid Robots 130 Effects of Humanoids on the society 131 Factors promoting Humanoids in the society 133 The Religious Implications of Humanoids 135 i. God’s Commandment 136 ii. Divine Conscience 136 iii. God’s Mystery of Life and Death 136 iv. Afterlife Judgment 137 v. Worship and Liturgical Responsibilities 137 Christian Theological Evaluation of Humanoids 137 Humanoids in Yoruba Religion (Yorel) 139 Spirituality of Humanoids in Yoruba Religion 139 Religious monitory roles towards technological advancements 141 The Relationship of Isaac Asimov’s laws of Robotics with Shigidi in Yorel 142 Contributions to Knowledge 143 i. Religious Implication is a pivotal consideration for Technological Inventions 143 ii. Guidance Values on Humanoids 143 iii. Caution to technological quests of breaking Natural mystery 143 iv. Academic engagement between Religion and Technology is a necessity 144 v. ‘Host and Virus’ Illustration 144 Conclusion 145 References 146 Chapter 5 - The Vacuity of the Responsibility to Protect in Africa? Insecurities and Social Protection in Zimbabwe 150 Introduction 150 Responsibility to Protect (R2P) Concept 153 The Social Policy Concept 155 Approaches to Social Protection 156 The Social Risk Management Framework (SRM) 158 The Transformative Social Protection Framework 160 Social Protection in Zimbabwe 160 The Pre-and Post-Colonial Social Protection System 161 Post-Independence Social Protection in Zimbabwe 164 Contemporary Social Protection in Zimbabwe 166 Challenges with Social Protection in Zimbabwe 169 Insights on Social Protection and the Emergence of Social Insecurity in Zimbabwe 171 Alternative Approaches to Social Protection: The Way Forward 177 Conclusion 181 References 182 Chapter 6 - Entangled in the “New World Order”: Africa’s (In-) Security Quandaries and Prospects 186 Introduction 186 Conceptualising new world order 190 Africa in the dynamic world order 191 Theoretical framework 195 Methodology, data presentation and discussion of findings 197 World Bank Data on Africa Development and Debt Rates 198 Conclusion 203 References 205 Chapter 7 - Rethinking Security and Global Politics: The Tethering of Africa in an Era of Globalisation 208 Introduction 208 Conceptualising human insecurity in the Global South 209 Globalisation and its uncertainties: Paradigms in African Security 209 Globalisation by-passing the Global South 216 Why globalisation worries countries in the Global South? 217 Theorising the nexus between globalisation and security 220 Conflicts, poverty and insecurity in Africa 224 Environmental insecurity 226 Terrorism and insecurity 226 Mitigating human insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa 227 Conclusion 228 References 228 Chapter 8 - United Nations Agencies and Management of Humanitarian Crisis of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s Abuja Camps: Reflections on the Security of Igbo Migrants in the North (2010-2016) 234 Introduction 234 Background to Displacement in Nigeria under the forth Republic 236 The Role of International Organizations in addressing the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in some selected camps in the Federal Capital Territory 240 Sabotaging the Humanitarian Efforts of UN Agencies in FCT IDP Camps 246 Conclusion 247 References 248 Chapter 9 - Religions and Insecurities: Heritage Contestations and Religious Praxis in Mberengwa and Masvingo, Zimbawe 252 Introduction 252 Biblical Narrative 253 The Historical Narrative 256 The Deployment of Technology to Bolster Positions 259 Remba Jewish-Arab Paternity Theories 260 Remba interaction with Muslims and Jews in Zimbabwe 264 Constitutional Provisions 268 Conclusion 268 References 269 Primary Sources 272 Chapter 10 - Electoral Politics and (In-) Securities in Africa: Thinking the past and the present for the future of Africa 274 Introduction 274 Conceptualising human insecurity, elections and electoral violence 275 Stakes 280 Competitiveness 281 Perpetrators of electoral violence 282 Victims 283 Consequences of failing to combat electoral violence 284 Electoral politics and (in) security in Africa: a general survey 285 Preventing election related human insecurity in Africa 290 Way Forward 292 Conclusion 294 References 294 Chapter 11 - Espousing Global “Civilisation” in “Social Networking”: Linguistic Vulnerability and Techno-paranoia among Tshivenda/Xitsonga Speakers in Zimbabwe 298 Introduction 298 Theoretical Framework 300 Linguistic Stratification: (In)Voluntary Language Choice, Preferences and the Dominancy of English 301 Acronyms, Abbreviations and Shortenings in English Informalities and Transphonologies 307 The Insidious Proliferation of English and the Loss of Identity among the Indigenous Peoples 308 Cultural Imperialism and the Inadvertent Espousal of English–Interrogating ‘its’ Ostensible Civilisation 308 Conclusion 309 References 310 Chapter 12 - Zimbabwean Youths and the Insecurities from “Bronco” Abuse 312 Introduction 312 Methodology 313 Overview on Drug Abuse 313 Bronco Saga 314 How Bronco Is Smuggling? 316 Why Bronco Abuse? 317 How Bronco Is Consumed 323 Socioeconomic Implications of Bronco Abuse 323 Way Forward 327 Conclusion 328 References 329 Chapter 13 - Democracy, Political Dynamics and (In-)security in the Global South: Hard Lessons for Africans 334 Introduction 334 The cunnings of the Global North 336 Why conflict has remained endemic in Africa? 345 In search of sustainable democracy for all 349 Democratic elections in Africa 353 Conclusion 354 References 355 Chapter 14 - The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Curbing Insecurity in Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region 358 Introduction 358 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Development of the Niger Delta: Definitions and Perceptions 361 CSR: Philanthropy or Corporate Responsibility? 363 MNOCs and Government-Centred Approaches to CRS Initiatives in the Niger Delta 364 Macro-CSR and Security in the Niger Delta: Challenges and Prospects 367 Conclusion 371 References 372 Chapter 15 - Should the West Keep on Playing God? Genetic Engineering, Bio-technological Insecurities and their Implications for Africa 376 Introduction 376 Understanding Human Cloning 379 Human Cloning as “Playing God” 383 Exploring the Implications of Human Cloning to Africa 385 Conclusion 393 References 394 Chapter 16 - Freedom to Become Insecure? Vulnerabilities from the Emergent Digital Media in Zimbabwe 398 Introduction 398 The social media as a public sphere: an enhancement of the freedom of expression and access to information 399 The oxymoron of freedom in the emerging digital media: an encounter with Jean Baudrillard’s hyperreal and simulacra concepts 403 Vulnerabilities of the grassroots at the hands of global capitalism 407 Methodology 408 Freedom of expression: Online “tribal” wars and “ethnic” divisions in Zimbabwe 409 Social media and emergent insecurities: a critical examination of social media as a threat to national security in Zimbabwe 412 A pen is mightier than a sword: regulating the social media in Zimbabwe 422 Conclusion 425 References 425 Back cover 428